


Of The Water

by Jingle



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Moana (2016), The Little Mermaid (1989)
Genre: Community: disney_kink, Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/F, Femslash, Timeline What Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-08
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 05:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8785150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jingle/pseuds/Jingle
Summary: Moana, Chief and Wayfinder of Motunui, loved the ocean – and all that came from it.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afterandalasia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afterandalasia/gifts).



Moana, Chief and Wayfinder of Motunui, loved the ocean – and all that came from it. This included Ariel, a mermaid princess from the kingdom of Atlantica who love to sneak away from her father’s strict watch at night to visit Moana. As time went on, a strong bond had formed between the two girls. It wasn’t until shortly before Ariel’s seventeenth birthday, however, that their story truly began.

“I don’t want to go back home,” Ariel sighed, resting her chin on her arms, which lay crossed on the edge of Moana’s canoe.

Moana smiled and sighed; bittersweet feelings growing in her chest. “You never do,” she pointed out.

“No… Moana, I mean it. I want to stay here. I want to be with you and your people – with _humans_. I want to be part of all the wonderful things that happen up here.”

Moana pulled her thick curls up and over her shoulder, blushing deeply. “Is that even possible?”

Ariel tilted her head back in frustration. “I just _know_ that if Daddy met all of you… He’d understand. You’re not evil at all.” She reached out for Moana’s hands, and Moana obliged. “And _you_ … You make me so happy. Besides, I belong here, above the surface!”

“But without your family?” Moana asked. It wasn’t that she wanted to discourage Ariel. Nothing would make her happier than being with her all the time, but… Was it really what would make Ariel happy?

“Yes! They don’t understand me, Moana – I love them, but I don’t fit in with them. And they wouldn’t be far, not with your people always on the sea! It would be perfect!”

“It would,” Moana agreed, placing a kiss on each of Ariel’s hands. “But your father… I mean, I know I’ve never met the guy, but if he found out about you coming up here, do you really think he’d give all of this a chance?”

Ariel blew out a puff of air from between her lips. “Well…”

“It’s just that he kind of sounds like the sort of guy to use his trident first and ask questions later when humans are involved.”

Ariel sulked against the side of the canoe. “But then… What do we do?”

Moana scowled, then broke into a grin. “Wait, I’ve got this!”

* * *

“You… Want to borrow my hook?”

Moana looked up at her demigod friend with as endearingly sweet of an expression she could muster to cover her eagerness and excitement. The pleading look only lasted a moment before she burst out with a resounding ‘Yes!’, raising her hands in the air.

“Why?” Maui asked, his grip on the hook slung over his shoulder getting tighter.

“You’ve met Ariel. It’s for her! See, we only need to let her use it to shapeshift into a human. It’s not like we’d be taking it forever! Please, Maui? For your favorite mortal?” Moana teased.

“Hey, _hey_. I don’t have a favorite mortal. That wouldn’t be very demigodly of me,” Maui said, but he winked at Moana as he did so. “But Moana… You’re not just asking me to lend you my hook, here. You’re asking me to get involved with descendants of the _Greek Gods_.”

“The… Who?”

“The Greek Gods. See, the Gods _you_ pray to aren’t the only ones out there. It’s complicated, but the _point is_ , I’m not supposed to get involved with other Pantheons at all – much less go against the will of the Neptune’s grandson.” Moana stared at him blankly, and Maui sighed. “Okay, forget about the other Gods. I can’t do it, okay? That’s the important part.”

“But-”

“Moana, but it’s not happening.”

Moana crossed her arms over her chest. “You wouldn’t even _have_ that hook without me!” she huffed. Maui cringed.

“I know! I know, Moana. If it was about anyone but a daughter of Triton… Maybe I could do something for you.”

Moana groaned in frustration. “But it _is_ about a daughter of Triton! Maui, please… I love her.”

Maui rolled his eyes. “You’re _sixteen_.”

Moana gritted her teeth, but didn’t argue the point. “Fine, but what about the fact that Ariel belongs up here? In her _heart_ , she’s already a human. Remember how you felt when you didn’t have your hook?”

“Yes, and _you_ were the one who said I was still me without it.”

“But it felt wrong,” Moana countered. “I know it did. And that’s how Ariel feels without legs.”

“I’m sorry. I really am, okay? But _no_ , I’m not doing it.”

* * *

When Moana had to deliver the bad news to Ariel, the mermaid just became determined to talk to her father all over again.

“I’ll tell him everything I’ve learned about you all. I’ll _bring_ him up here, and I’ll _show_ him. He can’t ignore that you’re all good people; not once he sees it for himself!” Ariel explained eagerly, barely taking a single breath.

Moana couldn’t help but smile. “I had a feeling you’d say something like that. And it’s our best shot, since _someone_ chickened out on me… So, here.” She handed Ariel a coconut. “It’s the most useful item to the people of Motunui. Maybe even more important than our boats… It’s a gift from the Chief to the King.”

Ariel grinned and pulled herself up to peck her lips against Moana’s. “It’s going to work. I know it,” she whispered, and then disappeared beneath the water as the sun began creep up over the horizon.

* * *

“Daddy, you’re not _listening_ to me!” Ariel shouted as she hurriedly picked up the broken pieces of coconut shell.

“Ariel, I have warned you before!” Triton roared. “Humans only see us as game to be killed! The fact that you went up to the surface, after all I’ve told you, is _unacceptable_!”

Ariel rose to look her father in the eye, the shattered shell in her cupped hands. “This was a _gift_ from Moana! Don’t you see? She-”

“A gift? It’s a _trap_ , Ariel!”

“Daddy, _listen_ _to me_! Moana isn’t like that. _Humans_ aren’t like that! I’ve been visiting Moana and her people for almost and year, and nothing bad has-”

“A _year_? For a year, you’ve been going to the surface? Well, no more, young lady – you will never do that again!”

“You can’t stop me!”

Triton’s face grew red with fury. “Not only will I stop _you_ , but I will make sure that those humans never bother us again!”

Ariel gasped, her hands lingering over her mouth as she watched her father swim up towards the surface. His trident was in his grasp, already aglow. What had she _done_?

* * *

“We need to get out of this storm!” Moana called out above the rolling thunder. As the men and women on the head boat of Motunui prepared the ship to head for safer seas, Moana wondered what had caused this sudden, terrible weather… But she didn’t have to wonder for long, as soon, a fearsome figure rose from the water, swinging a trident through the air.

 _King Triton_.

“Where is Chief Moana?” he demanded, and several of the crew – including Moana’s parents – grouped around their leader.

“Get back!” Sina called over the sounds of the storm.

“You won’t harm my daughter!” Tui shouted.

Triton’s gaze narrowed, and he lifted his trident over his head… A hawk swooped down, and soon bird and merman were grappling for the item.

“Maui?” Moana breathed.

“Let’s talk about this, Triton: Demigod to Demigod!”

When the hawk spoke, it startled Triton for a moment. “Who… _Maui_. Of course – but you have no business getting involved!”

“Well, I say I _do_ ,” Maui said, finally snatching up the trident. “I mean, they pray to _me_ , Triton,” he said smugly as he landed on Moana’s canoe and shapeshifted back to his true form. In one hand he held the trident; in the other, his hook. “ _You_ are the one who butted in first.”

Triton pointed to Moana. “ _That girl_ was the one who got herself invol-”

“Moana’s a _mortal_. That’s not how the rules work… And _you know it_.”

Triton grimaced, as Moana ran forward to Maui’s side.

“You – I didn’t think you’d-”

Maui smiled down at her. “Hey, I couldn’t let anything happen to my favorite mortal.”

* * *

With Maui still in possession of Triton’s trident, the two demigods conversed, and where quickly joined by Moana once she made sure all her people were unharmed after the storm.

“King Triton, your majesty,” she said, interrupting whatever Maui had been saying, which earned her a playful shove from her friend. “I don’t mean any disrespect, but it seems only right that Ariel and I be part of this. We just want to help you understand what’s been happening.”

“Look, Triton, she’s right. It’s the Princess’ life to live – and she should have a say in it,” Maui pointed out.

Triton was quiet for a long while, before finally sighing and saying, “I know. It’s true, she’s growing up, but…”

“You worry,” Moana heard her father’s voice say from just behind her. Tui lay a hand on his daughter’s shoulder and smiled. “As the previous Chief of Motonui and this young woman’s father, I understand your concerns. You want what’s best for your people, and of course, your family. And it’s hard to see our children as the adults they have become.”

“Exactly,” Triton admitted, a ghost of a smile on his face. “And… For Ariel to just leave me and her sisters…”

“It’s not a decision to take lightly,” Tui agreed.

“It’s also not my decision to make,” Triton said.

“Please, King Triton, let Ariel come here. I’m sure between all of us, we can figure something out,” Moana said.

Triton nodded, then reached out his hand for his trident. Maui hesitated.

“I don’t know… I’m starting to like this thing…”

Moana rolled her eyes and grabbed Maui by the ear. “You better give that back. You don’t want to end up deserted on another island, do you?” she teased. Maui returned the trident as he grumbled that he’d only been joking.

* * *

“Morning, Ariel…” Moana whispered into Ariel’s ear. Ariel slowly started to stir, and Moana laughed, shaking her by the shoulder. “Come on, wake up! It’s your birthday!”

Ariel’s eyes opened. “It is, isn’t it?” She smiled and sat up. She stretched her arms over her head…

And then stretched her legs out in front of her, one by one. She was sure she would never tire of that feeling, even when the novelty wore off.

Moana kissed Ariel’s cheek. “Come on. Everyone’s waiting for us inland!”

Moana, Ariel, and all the people of Motunui had arrived on a new island just two days ago. While Moana and her people had started a small village in the depths of the island’s jungle, Ariel had decided to sleep at the seaside the previous night. Moana believed she knew why.

“So… How is your family?” she asked, as she and Ariel strolled through the jungle. Ariel giggled.

“They came up to the surface late last night and wished me a happy birthday. I think Daddy’s still a little worried about everything, and my sisters _definitely_ don’t understand why I wanted to leave, but they’re all happy that I’m happy… I think it helps that visiting me is so easy.”

Moana reached for Ariel’s hand; gave it a squeeze. “I love you. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Moana, the only thing that could have made being here – being _human_ – even better… It’s _you_. Thank you for _everything_ you’ve shown me.”

Moana laughed. “Okay, now I _have_ to hug you. That was… Wow, Ariel. Thank _you_.” She grabbed Ariel in a hug, which Ariel happily returned.

“You’re welcome?” she laughed. “What are you thanking me for?”

“Just being you. No…” Moana pulled back so she could look at Ariel. “Not _just_ … ‘Being you’. For _being you_!” she hooted with joy, and Ariel laughed once again. “Now let’s get going – there’s presents!”

On that note, most of the people of Motunui hadn’t had any idea of what to get Ariel – not at first. With guidance from Moana, however, a collection of everyday items had been collected and made to look their best.

Ariel couldn’t have been happier. On her seventeenth birthday, she was surrounded by a community she felt comfortable with – felt she belonged with. On her seventeenth birthday, she’d woken up with _legs_. And on her seventeenth birthday, she’d been together with the woman she loved – and known that they could _stay_ together, no matter what the future brought.

In a word? Perfection.

**Author's Note:**

> I personally take a lot of issue with King Triton, but I tried to be as... Fair to him as I could.


End file.
